Chapter 238 : Pursuit
Chapter 238: Pursuit
“May I ask what plans Miss Nie has next?”
Chen Ming lightly glossed over the matter without pressing further. Of course, after this incident, he naturally would not continue traveling with this woman.
Nie Hongyi heard his meaning, turned her head toward the north, and said leisurely, “I want to go see the capital.”
Chen Ming said, “My path differs from yours, Miss. It would be better for us to part ways here. If you wish to find me in the future, you can leave a message at the Gu Family in the capital, or have someone send word to Xiazhou City. As long as I receive your letter, I will surely come.”
“Very well, then let us part here.”
Nie Hongyi cupped her hands in farewell, then turned and left.
Chen Ming watched her departing figure until she disappeared into the forest, and his heart relaxed slightly. Fortunately, she still knew her place.
He had originally thought she would forcefully demand the jade token, but unexpectedly, she left just like that.
It seemed that the person she wanted him to deal with must be extremely important to her.
To be honest, Chen Ming could not see through this woman. Deep down, he faintly felt she was very dangerous. It was precisely because of this instinct that he did not wish to have a conflict with her.
How to put it—she acted far too composed.
When she first came out of the cage, her expression was calm, not at all like someone who had been imprisoned for several years.
From leaving the tunnel, to standing on that high platform above the underground river, to seeing those corpses, even destroying the secret carvings on the stone wall—her expression never wavered in the slightest.
It was as if she had no emotions.
Only just now, when he killed Xie Jianqiu, did he finally see a flash of surprise in her eyes. Clearly, that was the first time she was truly caught off guard.
All the things that had happened before seemed irrelevant to her.
That was too strange.
“She’s finally gone.” Hiding behind him, Jiang Yingxue let out a breath of relief and said lightly, “At last, it’s safe.”
Safe?
Chen Ming’s expression grew heavy. The real danger had not yet arrived.
Things had developed to the point where he could already guess what would happen next.
The five who had entered with them were all dead. The Jiang Family members who came to rescue Jiang Yingxue were most likely doomed as well. When Du Rusong emerged from the Secret Realm, he would certainly come to find him, and then kill him to silence him.
Du Rusong was not like Xie Jianqiu. As a First Grade in full strength, there was no way he could win.
So, next, they would have to flee for their lives!
How could he possibly escape the pursuit of a First Grade?
Chen Ming turned to Jiang Yingxue. Perhaps, to survive this ordeal, he would have to rely on her.
She had already proven with her actions that she could be trusted. This was a bond forged in the crucible of life and death.
Being stared at by him made Jiang Yingxue feel somewhat shy. She lowered her head, her heart fluttering like a startled deer, thinking, Was he trying to kiss me? Ah, why look at me like that? If you want to kiss me, then just kiss me…
“Listen to me.”
Just as her thoughts were running wild, she heard Chen Ming’s solemn voice, “We have not truly escaped danger. Next, we still have to keep running for our lives.”
“Huh?”
Jiang Yingxue looked at him in confusion. Still more fleeing?
…
Not long after, in a cave on Huanshou Mountain, a tall figure appeared out of thin air. It was Du Rusong, his face livid with rage. “Xie Jianqiu, how dare you trick me!”
Murderous intent rolled off him as he prepared to find Xie Jianqiu for retribution. Glancing around, he saw corpses everywhere. The sight of his four subordinates’ bodies only fueled his fury.
He had been played, and four Third Grades had died as a result. How could he possibly explain this to the Six Doors Headquarters when he returned?
Sweeping out with his divine sense, he did not detect Xie Jianqiu’s presence. He thought to himself, “It seems I cannot return to Six Doors. With so many Third Grades dead, and that Gu Family boy as well—wait, why don’t I see his corpse?”
He did not dwell on it. Perhaps the boy had died elsewhere—it was not strange.
In any case, with Gu Xianyu dead, the Gu Family would not let this matter rest. With Zhong Danyang’s temperament, he certainly would not protect him.
To return would mean certain death. Better to betray Six Doors altogether.
As for his family left in Xiazhou City—so be it. A wife lost could be replaced. Children dead could be begotten again.
As long as he lived, he would still have everything.
Having made up his mind, Du Rusong no longer hesitated. “First, I must drag out Xie Jianqiu. He must be the master of that Secret Realm. As long as I seize the key to the Secret Realm and kill him, I can become the new master of the Secret Realm myself.
Then, I can use the treasures within to open my Divine Repository, and with a Secret Realm in hand, I can establish my own sect. Why should I bow to anyone again?”
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. “Old Xie, let’s see where you can run!”
After so many years in Six Doors, Du Rusong naturally had his own unique methods. He had long planted a mark on Xie Jianqiu. Even if the man fled to the ends of the earth, he could not escape his pursuit.
From a pouch at his waist, Du Rusong took out a tiny animal. It had sleek black fur and resembled a small squirrel.
He pulled out several nuts, stuffed them into its mouth, and patted its head. “Go, little one, find that old man for me. You remember what I told you, don’t you?”
The black-furred little mouse nodded, squeaked twice, then leapt onto his shoulder. Its tiny head swiveled toward a certain direction, and it squeaked again.
“Over there!”
Du Rusong’s figure blurred as he darted in that direction.
…
Moments later, he arrived at the banks of the Dan River. The little spirit mouse on his shoulder squeaked and chattered.
He looked toward the river, his eyes dark. “You mean he’s down below?”
“Squeak, squeak.”
A bad feeling rose in his heart. He dove into the water, and after a while, dragged up a corpse from the riverbed. It was none other than Xie Jianqiu.
He was actually dead!
Who had killed him?
Searching the corpse yielded nothing, just as expected.
Du Rusong tossed the body back into the river, frowning in thought.
“Could it have been the companions of those other corpses?”
“No, if they were his companions, they wouldn’t have left his body behind.”
“Some passing First Grade, then?”
“Or perhaps—”
A sudden realization struck him. In the cave, he had only seen the corpses of his four subordinates. The bodies of Tao Zhiquan and Gu Xianyu were missing.
Could they still be alive?
“Find them first.”
So, he ordered the spirit mouse to seek out the other old man.
Soon after, in a nearby forest, he discovered a freshly made grave.
“Tao Zhiquan is dead too?”
Lifting his hand, Du Rusong released a blast of Gang Yuan that shattered the crude grave. Seeing Tao Zhiquan’s corpse, he confirmed the death before tossing the body aside.
“It seems that boy is still alive.”
His excitement grew.
The one who buried Tao Zhiquan could only have been Gu Xianyu.
“This brat really has some skill.”
Du Rusong commanded the spirit mouse, “Now find that young man. You still remember him, don’t you?”
This time, the little mouse took much longer before sensing something. It finally raised its head and squeaked toward a direction.
“There!”
Du Rusong immediately gave chase.
…
That night, dozens of li outside Jiangzhou City.
Three figures—one pursuer, two fleeing.
“Gu Xianyu, your disguise technique is truly ingenious. Even I couldn’t detect a single flaw,” called Du Rusong, the one giving chase.
Not long before, with the help of his spirit mouse, he had caught up to Gu Xianyu. Yet upon seeing him, he thought he had made a mistake—for what he saw was a young woman.
Thinking his spirit mouse had erred, Du Rusong was annoyed. But after leaving for some distance, unease struck him. The spirit mouse had never once been wrong.
When he returned, he found the “woman” and her female companion fleeing toward Jiangzhou City.
Only then did he realize that the “woman” was none other than Gu Xianyu in disguise.
What shocked him even more was the astonishing speed of this boy’s movement technique. Even carrying another person, he could not catch up.
Helpless, Du Rusong had to burn his Gang Yuan to its limit, finally catching sight of the two figures.
Even while closing in, he said casually, “So you’ve already reached Second Grade. Tsk, tsk… not even a day has passed, and you’ve already surprised me again.”
But the two women ahead said nothing, only focused on running.
“Brat Gu, my patience has limits. That thing is in your hands, isn’t it? Hand it over, and I might spare you!”
When the two still did not respond, anger flickered in Du Rusong’s eyes. So they would not drink a toast but insisted on drinking a forfeit.
Now only a dozen or so zhang away, he raised his hand and sent a sword-gang slashing out.
The two women’s figures flickered, vanishing from his lock. When they reappeared, they were already ten zhang farther ahead.
“So you do have some skill. Unfortunately, your cultivation is too low.”
Du Rusong sneered.
That sword-gang abruptly curved midair, homing toward them once again.
Let’s see how many times you can use that movement technique!
Just then, the woman with Gu Xianyu cried out loudly, “Help! I am Jiang Yingxue, legitimate daughter of the Jiang Family! Villains are pursuing us—whoever saves us, I will surely repay with great reward!”
The Jiang Family’s legitimate daughter?
Du Rusong’s face darkened. They were close to Jiangzhou City now. The Jiang Family was one of the three great clans of Jiangzhou. With her shouting like this, experts would soon be drawn here.
No, he had to finish this quickly!
“Hmph!”
Du Rusong gave a cold snort and finally unsheathed his weapon.
It was a divine weapon, purchased with the merit of three First Grades. He nourished it daily with Gang Yuan and rarely drew it.
If unsheathed, it must taste blood.
Buzz!
With a sword’s cry, it transformed into a streak of bloody light that shot toward the two women.
It was about to cut them down—
“How dare you!”
A thunderous shout rang out. A giant hand appeared, grabbing the bloody sword-light. The weapon struggled, surging violently, but could not break free of that hand.
“What scoundrel dares act before me?”
The voice was neither male nor female.
Divine Repository Realm?!
Du Rusong was shaken to his core. How could he dare act further? He quickly dropped to the ground and shouted, “Du Rusong, First Grade Inspector of Xiazhou Six Doors, greets Senior!”
He then produced his official seal.
The great hand, originally poised to strike his head, halted. Instead, it swept up his seal.
A moment later, the voice resounded again, “A man of Xiazhou Six Doors, coming to Jiangzhou, attempting to kill the Seventh Miss of the Jiang Family. What explanation is this?”
“Senior, please see clearly. This junior never intended to kill them. I merely wanted to stop them and ask a few questions.”
“This is Jiangzhou, not your hunting ground. Since you indeed bore no killing intent, be gone. Leave Jiangzhou at once.”
The divine weapon and the seal flew back to Du Rusong.
“As you command.”
Du Rusong quickly put them away, turned, and fled faster than before.